Why Peru?
Carmine Dye Extraction Process and the Cochineal Insect. (1999, October 27). Retrieved November 15, 2015, from https://idlbnc.idrc.ca/dspace/bitstream/10625/21568/1/116551.pdf
Cochineal- Ecololigcal Impacts of Cosmetics. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2015, from https://sites.google.com/a/own.edu/ecological-impact-of-cosmetics/cochineal
Emmett, S. (n.d.). Seeing Red. Retrieved November 15, 2015, from http://www.new-ag.info/02-3/develop/dev02.html
Gade, D.W.. (1979). Past Glory and Present Status of Cochineal. Geopgraphical Review, 69(3), 353-354. http://doi.org/10.2307/214892
Rodriguez, L. C., Pascual, U., & Niemeyer, H. M. (2006). Local Identification and Valuation of Ecosystem Goods and Services from Opuntia Scrublands of Ayacucho, Peru. Ecological Economics, 57(1), 30-44. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2005.03.022
Is it sustainable?
- It has ideal environmental conditions to support vast cochineal populations
- opuntia scrub plants and cactuses in cities like Ayacucho and Arequipa
- 2500m altitude
- average monthly temperatures of 11C-24C
- rainfall of 754mm from Oct-Mar
Carmine conversion has proven to be a possible candidate as society moves into the search for more sustainable development because it champions natural habitats and has a largely reduced ecological footprint that its synthetic counterparts. However, with expansion and industrialization comes environmental and ethical implications. Alternatives?
Disadvantages of production:
- expansion
- parasite
- industry
- distaste
Advantages of production:
- healthier
- smaller ecological footprint
- healthier
- sustains international communities
How is it processed?
Social Dimensions and Ethical Issues
- Harvesting cochineal
- can take place in cochineal farms, but most often is done in rural mountainside communities
- females will embed themselves in the cacti after they have been fertilized
- farm laborers of peasants will come and sweep off beetles, leaving some to repopulate the next generations, and send the collected beetles for manufacturing
- Conversion process
- dried and sieved to obtain parts of cochineal that contain the most carmine (organs and eggs)
- rinsed, grounded up, boiled in chemical bath
- then moved into another mixture to get a carmine precipitate that will later be left to set, then driained, and centrifuged
- finally they will be washed and sterilized, dried, milled, and packaged
Where does it come from?
- industrialization gives more power to industry and takes away from rural communities
- American distaste for using products made with bugs
- FDA required labeling
- PETA's stance against animal cruelty
- inequities of reward throughout the commodity chain
- income for thousands of Andean peasant households
- It has been found in various Latin American countries throughout history such as Mexico, Spain, Canary Islands, and Peru
- Today it is most abundant in Peru which represents 80%-95% of the worlds exports
What is it?
Environmental Implications
Carmine is a vivid crimson pigment made from the carcasses of the cochineal beetle.
- cochineal is a parasitic bug that could have harmful effects if production is expanded into other regions
- as carmine becomes industrialized it would require the use of more land, fertilizers, pesticides, and alteration of natural habitats
How is it marketed? Who is involved?
- The process of producer to consumer is multi-faceted
- begins with the farmer who sells cochineal for ~$3.50/kg
- collector
- wholesaler who will resell for ~$12.67/kg
- exporter who ultimately sells for ~$208/kg
- purchased by Western Europe, the United States, and Japan
- How is it used in the United States?
- cosmetics
- pharmaceutical coatings
- soft drinks/juices (Tropicana, Nesquik)
- condiments
- baked goods (Betty crocker)
- candies (Nerds)
- yogurt (Dannon, Yoplait)
- Starbucks
- meats
Cochineal (Carmine)